Mist-shrouded cloud forest and quetzals
Monteverde's cloud forest sits along the continental divide, where moist air from the Caribbean creates near-constant mist and a forest dripping with mosses, orchids and ferns. The Monteverde and Santa Elena reserves have trails and suspension bridges through the canopy, and patient visitors may spot the resplendent quetzal, with its long iridescent tail. Night walks reveal tarantulas, tree frogs and sleeping birds. The area was settled by Quaker families in the 1950s, and small farms offer coffee and chocolate tours.